Locking means for demountable rims for automobile-wheels and the like.



F. D. HlLLER, JR. & M. R. KOHN.

LOCKING MEANS FOR DEMOUNTABLE RIMS FOR AUTOMOBILE WHEELS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. $9. l9l4.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEEYS*SHEEI I.

ATT'V F. D. HILLER, JR & M. R. KOHN.

LOCKING MEANS FOR DEMOUNTABLE RIMS FOR AUTOMOBILE WHEELS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATEON FILED OCT-$1914.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS' SHEEI 2.

INVCNTORS FRANK D. H/LLEK, JR MAUR/Cf R. KOHN.

ATT'V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK D. HILIiER, JR, AND MAURICE R. KOHN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI,ASSIGNORS OF FIVE AND SEVENTY-ONE ONE-HUNDREDTHS PER CENT. TO FRANK D.KILLER,

SK, OEWEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI.

LOCKING MEANS FOR DEMOUNTABLE RIMS FOR AUTOMOBILE-WHEELS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

Application filed October 19, 1914. Serial No. 867,377.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FRANK D. HILLER, J1'.,and MAURICE R. KoHN, citizens of the United States, residing at the cityof St. Louis, State of Missouri, have jointly invented a certain new anduseful- Improvement in Looking Means for Demountable Rims forAutomobile-Wheels and the like, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof.

This invention relates generally to automobile wheels and the like and,more particularly, to that class of automobile wheels having demountabletire-holding rims, the principal object of our present invention beingto provide simple and. comparatively in expensive means capable of easyand convenient manipulation and actuation for quickly and eflicientlyreleasably or detachably locking the demountable rim upon the wheel.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention resides incertain novel features of form, construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterwardpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which show our invention in several forms,Figure 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an automobilewheel equipped with our invention in preferred form, the pneumatic orother tire of the wheel being omitted; Fig. 2 is an elevational view ofthe same as viewed from the inner side thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view,partly in section, of the rimlocking means shown in Figs. land 2, partsof the wheel being omitted; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one ofthe members forming part of the preferred form of our invention; Fig.- 5is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an automobile wheelequipped with our invention in slightly modified form, the pneumatic orother tire of the wheel being also omitted; Fig. 6 is a plan view,partly in section, of the rim-locking means shown in Fig. 5, parts ofthe wheel being omitted; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view ofrim-locking means embodying our invention in another slightly modifiedform; Fig. 8 is a face view of the washer or wear-plate preferablyemployed with the rim-locking means shown in Figs. 5, 6, and

7; Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of rimlocking means embodying ourinvention in still another slightly modified form; Fig. 10 is afragmentary elevational view of an automobile wheel, as viewed from theouter side thereof, equipped with the forms of our invention shown inFigs. 1 and 5; and Fig. 11 is a similar view of an automobile wheelequipped with the form of our invention shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the said drawings, in which like reference characters referto like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the usual woodenfelly of an automobile Wheel or the like, 2 a fiat preferably continuousiingsliaped metallic member flatwise preferably fixed to and upon theouter side face of felly 1, as seen more particularly in Fig. 10, 3 arelatively broad or wide hoop-shaped metallic band or rim-engagingmember preferably fixed to and upon the tread face of felly 1, band ormember 3 being provided preferably integrally at one side edge with anobliquely outwardly and upwardly disposed (reference being had toFig. 1) annular flange 4, and 5 a demountable rim for the wheel, allsaid parts being of any approved or standard construction. This rim 5,which is adapted, as ,will be well understood, to engage with and hold apneumatic or other tire, includes annular portions or members 6-6 havingoppositely disposed oblique under faces, as at 7-'7', respectively. Inoperation or use, rim 5 is adapted to encircle and fit on rim-engagingor wheelmember 3 with its said portion 6 engaging at its under oroblique face 6' with said annular oblique flange 4 of wheel-member 3, asshown in Fig. 1, rim 5 being demountably locked on the wheel by our newrim-locking means now to be described.

Suitably flatwise fixed, as by means of screws or the like 8, to andupon preferably the inner side face of felly 1, as seen par- Y ticularlyin Fig. 2, is a relatively small plate 9. Preferably plate 9 is providedat and along its upper edge with a lengthwise curved obliquely outwardlydisposed flange 9 adapted to underlie and brace'or reinforce obliqueflange 1 of rim-engaging member 3,

as shown particularly in Fig. 1.

'iransversely fitting loosely through felly 1 and said ring-shapedmember 2 and plate 9 and projecting at its opposite ends thereformed orprovided with a pair of segmental-shaped openings 1515 to permit thepassage therethrough of legs 10-10' of bolt 10, the portion 9', of plate9 intermediate of said openings providing what might be called awear-surface for cam-lever 14 as the same is swung to and fromrim-locking position.

On preferably the upper face of its cam-- head or portion 14', lever 14is provided with a cam-lug, as at 16, with which is adapted to workablyengage, for purposes hereinafter appearing, a hook'shaped member 17projecting laterally from plate 9.

Threaded on the outer end 11 of bolt 10, is a member or block 18provided at one, or its upper, end with a laterally projecting extensionor wedgeportion 19 having an oblique upper face, as at 20, to cooperatewith oblique face 7 of portion 6 of rim 5.

Rim 5 being mounted in position upon the wheel with its said portion 6engaging, as described, with flange 4 of wheel-member 3, on cam-lever 14being swung from rim-unlocking to rim-locking position, or from theposition thereof shown in full linesinFig. 3 to the position thereofshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, bolt 10 will, through the camengagement of cam-head 14 with plate 9, be lengthwise pulled or movedrelatively to -fel ly 1 and portion 19 of block 18 forced or wedgedbetween, and firmly, positively, and rigidly held, between rim-engagingmember 3 and said oblique portion 6 of rim 5, rim 5 being therebydemountably locked operatively upon the wheel. It is, of course, to beunderstood that the wheel as a whole may be provided with any desirednumber of our new rim-locking means, the same being arranged in the formof an annular suitably spaced apart series around the wheel, levers 14,when in rim-locking position, as seen in Fig. 2 and also in dotted linesin Fig. 3, lengthwise projecting with a face thereof flatwise upon felly1 and thus severally occupying but small space and in no way impedingthe rotary movement of the 7 wheel or interfering with parts of the carupon which the wheel may be mounted. To demount rim 5, it is onlynecessary to re versely swing levers 14, when, through the engagementparticularly of said hookshaped members 17 with the cam-lugs 16 of theseveral levers, bolts 10 will be reversely rim-unlocking position.

ence being had particularly to Fig. 5, we.

lengthwise moved relatively to felly 1 and blocks 18 with their saidwedge-portions 19 forced out of locking engagement with the rim.

lVe have, from experience found our'new rim-locking means to be mostefiicient in positively and rigidly locking and maintaining thedemountable rim upon the wheel. Furthermore, our new rim-locking means,while, as seen from the foregoing, comparatively simple in form andconstruction, may be readily and conveniently manipulated from eitherrim-locking to rim-unlocking position or from rim-unlocking torim-lockmg position, the demountable rim being thus locked or unlockedupon the wheel quickly and without the use of wrenches or other liketools.

The form of our invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is greatlysimilar to the re ferred form thereof hereinbefore described andspecifically shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the principal differencetherebetween being that in this form of our invention, to lessenmanufacturing costs and hence provide a somewhat cheaper construction,we preferably omit, as will be seen, the automatic wedge or blockreleasing means provided by cam-lugs 1,6 and their cooperating members17 brought into operation on the cam-levers be ing actuated or swungfrom rim-locking to preferably flatwise fix to and upon the inner sideface of felly 1 a flat preferably continuous ring shaped metallic member21, copay sponding to ring-shaped member 2 on the outer side face offelly 1, but obliquely provided at its outer peripheral edge with anannular flange 21 underlying and bracing flange 4 of rim-engaging member3. Also interposed on bolt 10 between ringshaped member 21 and cam-lever22 of this form of our invention is a preferably circular washer 23adapted to provide at its central portion 23' a wear-surface or .platefor cam lever On cam-lever 22 being swung from rimlocking torim-unlocking position, automatic wedge releasing means being omitted,the application upon the inner end of bolt 10 of a hammer or othersuitable tool may be necessary to release or force blocks 18 and theirwedge-portions 19 from operative engagement with the rim 5.

The form of our invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 11 is approximatelysimilar to the form of our im'ention shown specifically in Figs. 5--and6, except that, instead of having a plurality of blocks having wedgeshaped portions to engage the rim 5, as also in the preferred form ofour invention shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, we preferably employ acontinuous annular band 2-1 wedgeshaped in cross-section fitting betweenportion 6 of rim 5 and wheel-member 3, the

Accordingly, refer- III securing blocks 25 therefor upon bolts 10 beingadapted, when in rim-locking position, to flatwise engage at one endwith the outer face of band 24 to maintain the same operatively inposition and at their other end being provided with shouldered portions25 adapted to bear upon outer ring 2 of the wheel. In this form, also, anut or the like 26 may, if desired, be threaded upon end 11 of bolt 10to lock the block 25 in position thereupon.

To still further provide a cheaper form of our invention, we may employ,as shown particularly in Fig. 9, a preferably integral felly-engagingmember of approximately L- shape, the long leg 27 thereof transverselyunderlying the felly of the wheel and the short leg 28 thereof beingprovided at its outer end with a wedge shaped portion 29 correspondingto said wedge-shaped portion 19 of block 18 and being similarly adaptedto fit between rim 5 and wheel-member 3 to demountably lock the rim 5 inoperative position upon the wheel. Pivotally fastened, as by means of abolt 30, to and upon said long leg portion 27 at or adjacent its outerend, is a cam-lever 31 corresponding in function to said cam-levers 14and 22, respectively,wedge-portion29 and cam-lever 31, when in lockingengagement with the wheel, serving also to securely hold and retain thedevice operatively upon the wheel.

\Ve are aware that changes in the form, construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts of our new rim-locking means ma be madeand substituted for those herein shown and described without departingfrom the nature and spirit of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A locking device for demountable wheel-rims comprising a memberadapted to transversely engage the felly of the wheel, a lever, anextension on said lever, said extension being approximately fiat on itsoposite side faces and annularly rounded at its edge, and a pivot-pinengaging said member and said extension for pivotally fastening saidlever and its said extension to said member, said extension beingflatwise and eccentricall disposed relatively to said member, w erebythe lever, on being swung to locking position, is adapted to camwise atthe rounded edge of its said extension'engage the felly of the wheel.

2. A locking device for demountahle wheel-rims comprising a memberadapted to transversely engage the felly of the wheel, a

lever, an extension on said lever, said extension being approximatelyfiat on its opposite side faces and annularly rounded at its edge apivot-pin engagin said member and said extension for pivota 1y fasteningsaid lever and its said extension to said member, said extension beingflatwise and eccentrically disposed relatively to said member, wherebythe lever, on being swung to locking position, is adapted to camwise atthe rounded edge of its said extension engage the felly of the wheel atone side thereof, and a block on said member adapted to operativelyengage the felly of the wheel on an opposite side thereof when saidlever is in looking position.

3. A locking device for demountable wheel-rims comprising a bolt adaptedto be passed transversely through the felly of the wheel, said boltbeing longitudinally slotted at one end, a cam-lever pivotally fastenedto said bolt and swingable in the slot thereof to camwise engage thewheel when in locking position, and a block on said bolt adapted also toengage the wheel when said lever is in looking position.

4. The combination with a wheel and its felly, of a rim-engaging memberon said wheel, said member having an obliquely disposed fiange, atire-rim encircling said rimengaging member and provided with a pair ofoppositely disposed oblique faces, said flange being adapted to engagewith one of said faces, a bolt extending transversely loosely throughsaid felly, said bolt being longitudinally sloted at one end, a camle erpivotally fastened to said bolt, and

swingable in the slot thereof to engage the wheel, and a block alsocarried by said bolt, said block having a wedge-shaped portion adaptedto operatively engage with the other oblique face of said tire-rim,substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination with a wheel and its felly, of a rim-engaging memberon said wheel, said member having an obliquely disposed flange, atire-rim encircling said rimengaging member and provided with a pair ofoppositely disposed oblique faces, said flange being adapted to engagewith one of said faces, a bolt extending transversely loosely throughsaid felly, said bolt being longitudinally slotted at one end, acam-lever pivotally fastened on said bolt and swingable in the slotthereof to engage the wheel, a block also carried by said bolt, saidblock having a wedgeshaped portion adapted to operatively engage withthe other obliue face of said tire-rim, and a wear-plate or saidcam-lever, substantially as and for he purposes described.

6. In a locking device for demountable wheel-rims, the combination witha wheel and its felly, of a bolt slidably extending transversely throughthe felly of the wheel, a cam-lever pivotally fastened to said bolt tocamwise engage the felly of the wheel on bein swung to locking positiona block on said olt adapted also to engage the felly of the wheel whensaid lever is in locking position, and cooperating members on the wheeland lever adapted to slidably actuate said bolt relatively to the wheelto carry said block out of operative engagement with the felly of thewheel on said lever being swung to unlocking position.

7. In a locking device for demountable wheel-rims, the combination witha wheel and its felly, of a bolt slidably extending transversely throughthe felly of the Wheel, said bolt being longitudinally slotted at oneend, a cam-lever pivotally fastened to said bolt and swingable in theslot thereof to camwise engage the felly of the wheel when in lockingposition, a block on said bolt adapted also to engage the felly of thewheel when said lever is in locking position, and cooperating members onthe wheel and lever adapted to slidably actuate said bolt relatively tothe wheel to carry said block out of operative engagement with the fellyof the wheel on said lever being swung to unlocking position.

8. The combination with a wheel and its felly, of a rim-engaging memberon said wheel, said member having an obliquely disposed flange, atire-rim encircling said rimengaging member and provided with a pair ofoppositely disposed oblique faces, said flange being adapted to engagewith one of said faces, means for demountably locking said tire-rim uponsaid rim-engaging member, said means including a bolt extendingtransversely loosely through said felly, a lever, a rounded extension onsaid lever, said lever being pivotally fastened eccentrically at itssaid extension to said bolt to camwise engage the felly on being swungto locking position, and a block also carried by said bolt, said blockhaving a wedge-shaped portion adapted to operatively engage with theother oblique face of said tire-rim, whensaid lever is in lookingposition, and means for forcing said block out of operative position onsaid lever being swung to unlocking position, said means last-namedincluding a cam-lug on said lever extension, and a member on the wheeladapted to engage with said lug.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our, names to this specification,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK D. HILLER, JR. MAURICE R. KOHN.

Witnesses:

RUTH PETERSON, J. BERNHEIMER.

